Former Athlete Turned Teacher Opens Home Pizzeria in Summer

Ain Karutoom, once a Soviet Estonian football champion with Tallinn's Norma, as well as a fitness trainer and referee, now works as a history and social studies teacher at Laagri School. During summer vacation, he opens an improvised pizzeria next to his home in Turba, serving pizza made from his own recipes.

Karutoom learned pizza-making independently by watching YouTube videos of various pizzaiolos, gradually developing his own approach. He records all successful recipes in an electronic cookbook, noting adjustments in ingredients. He says that after quitting smoking, he began to perceive tastes and smells differently, so he started spending the money previously used for cigarettes on gastronomic pleasures and delicacies.

Despite the pizzeria's popularity, Karutoom has no plans to turn it into a full-time business. He bakes pizza only four to five times during the entire summer season because, with the start of the school year in autumn, teaching demands too much energy. He jokes that scarcity is part of his "business model." Originally, the place was intended for friends, and it is not a restaurant – the pizza oven is located in his sauna.

Customers include not only friends and former teammates but also students and their parents. Students say Karutoom is a good teacher with interesting lessons, and his pizza is delicious. As the inviting sign says, "Try a piece of Italy." However, visitors note that the most important aspect is not the Italian-style pizza but the heartfelt conversation rarely found in large northern cities, which gives life strength and meaning.